On a European level, as reported in 2012, the introduction of new national benchmarks such as the Learning Outcomes Framework (LOF) should be accompanied by additional training for teachers. In many European countries, generalist teachers teach the arts in primary schools while secondary arts teachers are usually specialised in an artistic discipline. In Malta, while generalist primary teachers may teach the arts, this is usually the responsibility of specialist arts teachers. Pre-service teachers for younger students receive some training in arts pedagogies at the University of Malta (UM), while more specialised arts education courses are also offered by its Faculty of Education.
The undergraduate route into teaching previously offered at UM has been replaced by a variety of full-time and part-time Master in Teaching and Learning degrees in art, music, drama and dance. At this level, Master students are recruited after specialising in an art subject at undergraduate level and are trained to become professional educators through the delivery of both theoretical and practical study units. Teacher training is also offered at the Institute for Education (IfE), set up in 2015. The IfE offers a Master of Education to those who wish to obtain a specialised Master teaching degree in the arts.
Unlike their larger counterparts, small entities usually do not have the resources to invest in an education department and also face difficulties in monitoring budgets for educational initiatives. This might explain why the full potential of educational programmes in local museums and heritage sites has not been exploited, although Heritage Malta, the national agency responsible for heritage, invests in educational programmes revolving around school visits and thematic activities and in-service training related to museum education. The national cultural policy (NCP2021) calls on public cultural organisations (PCOs) and heritage institutions to engage further in the provision of cultural education. It encourages PCOs and heritage institutions to set up action programmes with colleges and schools in order to facilitate creative interactions with works in national collections.
Funding schemes introduced by Arts Council Malta (ACM) have helped to boost creative projects in schools and simultaneously provide employment to creative practitioners through collaborations between artists and educators. The Kreattiv funds supported artistic collaborations and residencies across compulsory education across various art forms. In the two-year period 2019-2020, two thirds of projects funded through Kreattiv were conducted in state schools (15 out of 22), while the rest were distributed among church and independent schools.
The Arts Education Scheme introduced in 2021 supported arts education through funding from early years to tertiary education. This scheme was introduced to boost the arts education sector during the pandemic while supporting cross-sectoral collaborations.
Comments are closed.